Dear KG1 Parents, The students in KG1 will be beginning a new unit in Term 3.

Below are the details of our Unit of Inquiry:

Central Idea: We share our world with different types of creatures. Transdisciplinary Theme Sharing the Planet An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution. Through continual involvement of the students in this unit, they will learn about the following Concepts: Form- we want the students to understand that they can identify the features of different creatures Connection- we want the student to understand how creatures and humans impact each other Responsibility- we want the students to understand that it is our responsibility to share the finite resources with other living things We will guide the inquiry and ensure the students grasp the enduring understanding of the following lines of inquiry: Features of creatures (linked to the concept of Form) The importance of creatures (linked to the concept of Connection) Respecting creatures (linked to the concept of Responsibility)

Transdisciplinary Skills Focus- Research Skills: The unit will help enhance the students abilities with regards to formulating questions, observing, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data and presenting research findings. Learner Profile Focus- Principled, Inquirer, Balanced : Through various activities planned for the unit on creatures of the world the students will develop the profiles of being Principled, where they act with integrity and honesty and take responsibility for their actions and the accompanying consequences. We will also encourage them to be Inquirers wherein we want the students to develop their natural curiosity, actively enjoy learning and show independence in learning. Students will also be encouraged to be Balanced, understanding the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others. Attitudes Focus- Curiosity, Commitment, Empathy: The students will work towards developing the attitude of being Curious about the world, its people and cultures. They will also be encouraged to be Committed learners who persevere and show self-discipline and responsibility. Throughout the unit we will encourage children to show Empathy by imagining themselves in anothers situation in order to be open -minded and reflective about the perspectives of others. Summative Assessment: Students will research a creature of their choice. They will learn interesting facts about the creature such as number of legs, what they eat and their habitat. They will then choose how to present their learning to the class, such as through a poster, leaflet, drawing, making an object etc.

The content standards in Language, Math and Science for this Unit of Inquiry are listed below, so you can stay informed, and enable and encourage learning at home.

Language Reading This term we will emphasize non-fiction texts, addressing these standards: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas or pieces of information in a text Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. Recognize common types of texts (e.g. storybooks, poems, non-fiction) With prompting and support, identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text With prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g. in illustrations, descriptions or procedure) Understand that words are separated by spaces in print Phonics Recognize and name all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet Recognize and produce rhyming words Count, pronounce, blend and segment syllables in spoken words Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three phoneme words (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) Writing Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single even or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred and provide a reaction to what happened With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing when needed With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question Speaking and Listening Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification is something is not understood Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail Math Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1) Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g. by using matching and counting strategies Compare two numbers between 1 to 10 presented as written numerals Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds (e.g. claps), acting out situation, verbal explanations, expressions or equations Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g. by using objects or drawing to represent the problem

 Science

Describe measureable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measureable attributes of a single object Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes

Use observation to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the place they live Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air and/or other living things in the local environment Understanding that: Living and non-living things are different Creatures have physical needs Living things have similarities and differences that can be described Living things have structures (e.g. wings, legs) Creatures live in different types of habitats

Social Studies Give examples of conflict and cooperation among individuals and groups Distinguish between needs and wants

We look forward to your co-operation and support for your child through this unit. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this unit. Thanking you, The KG1 Team